“Collaboration is the key to improving patient outcomes—the bottom line is that it saves lives. Collaboration is just as much an essential skill for nurses as is performing a physical assessment.” Co-Author, Cynthia Saver, MS, RN

This go-to guide is a practical resource for RNS who wish to develop or improve the communication skills as an interprofessional team player. It is filled with valuable insights into key topics for promoting collaboration through communication:

Addressing difficult conversations and situations

Assessing and understanding communication styles (yours and others)

Meeting the challenges of interprofessional communication issues distinctive to nurses

Recognizing and resolving issues that can arise from workplace conflict and a multigenerational workforce

The authors also present numerous tips on these topics as questions, which are useful for self-examination and group discussion. With this guide, the motivated nurse can better contribute to a healthy workplace environment.

This guide is the third publication in the ANA You Series. This series offers valuable tools and resources for RNs to develop leadership skills, knowledge, and strategies to create safe and effective workplace environments.

About the Authors

Cynthia Saver, MS, RN, is president of CLS Development, Inc., in Columbia, Maryland, which provides speaking, training, and writing services. She received her master’s in nursing from The Ohio State University, Columbus. Cynthia has written and spoken on collaboration and communication topics for many years, including social media, creativity, mind skills, and writing for publication. She is the editor of Anatomy of Writing for Publication for Nurses.

Meaghan O'Keeffe, BSN, RN, is a freelance healthcare writer. She received her BSN from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and spent the first part of her career in a world-renowned pediatric institution in the Northeast. As a freelance writer, Meaghan's focus is on empowering nurses to create a healthy environment, both on and off the clock.